Two-term Student Government Association (SGA) President Marianna Flores, 20, knows firsthand the challenges that come with learning a new language and finding her place in the community. When she was 14, her family moved from El Salvador to North Carolina. “I wanted to talk and have a voice, but not being able to speak English was holding me back,” she said. “I worked every week trying to learn as much as I could, and after six months I began to understand.”
Now set to graduate in May with an Associate in Arts degree, Flores will go on to Western Carolina University to study accounting. She credits her parents with encouraging her to step out and reach for her dreams. Her father, an engineer, owned his own company in El Salvador, and from the time she was a young girl, she went with him to work. “He taught me how to manage business and money,” she said.
During her two years at A-B Tech, Flores has focused on advocating for students and members of A-B Tech’s growing Hispanic community. During her second semester, she helped to start a Spanish Language club, Nuestra Voz, which is still going strong. The club provides a place for Spanish students and native speakers to speak Spanish. It also highlights cultural traditions from Spanish-speaking cultures and brings in Latinx business owners and creatives from the local community to share their stories.
Flores said that she’s enjoyed helping Spanish-speaking students navigate A-B Tech’s campus during her SGA office hours. “I’d show them where buildings were on campus,” she said. “I’d show them where the Spanish applications are to get into A-B Tech.”
Another highlight of Flores’ time at A-B Tech was serving on the college’s Board of Trustees. It was scary at first, Flores admits, being asked to speak at meetings with older, more experienced board members. But, in the end, she felt right at home.
“They showed me I have a voice,” she said. “I would tell them about activities and events we were doing, and they would be happy to hear. I was the voice of the students.”
With her friendly smile and warm personality (she is well-known for giving great hugs), Flores was a natural spokeswoman for the community, both at student events and in front of a camera.
She was interviewed by WLOS TV after the hurricane, when she spoke about the college and her experience after the hurricane. “I was happy to be able to show how A-B Tech became one, and we all helped each other,” she said.
Leaving behind the college and her SGA friends will not be easy. This week, the association will meet to elect new student representatives. It’s a time of change, and one that is bittersweet.
“I remember when I was elected by students in fall 2023,” Flores said. “It was an honor. Now we are going to vote for someone else. The people from SGA, Michele and Tyra, have been so supportive of my decisions, not only in SGA but in life. I’ve tackled challenges with them. I’m going to miss my A-B Tech family so much. They’ve prepared me and now I’m ready for the next steps.”